10 ON THE CULTURE 



Be particular in watering them regular, which 

 will be requisite every two or three days, for the 

 space of three weeks or a month at latest, when 

 they will be in a proper condition to ridge out. 



After the plants have been potted three days, 

 add a little mould to them, and repeat it every 

 two or three days, for about a fortnight, until 

 the pot is quite filled,. Much attention should 

 be paid to this method of putting in the mould, 

 which experience has convinced the author is far 

 superior to the usual practice of filling the pots 

 in the first instance up to the seed-leaves of the 

 plants. By the gradual mode of filling, the 

 plant is prevented from shanking, and is certain 

 in its growth of being dwarfish and strong, which 

 cannot be insured by the common method, as it 

 tends considerably to weaken the plant, and 

 renders it very liable to fog off, before taking 

 root. By potting them low, and only just 

 covering the roots at first, the stems of the 

 plants become hardened, and strike very freely 

 upwards: as the tap roots of a cucumber always 

 decay when forced with a strong bottom heat. 



